Breakfast links: Readiness
EMTs in short supply
DC Fire and EMS are operating with less than half the paramedics as similar departments. No new ambulances have been added in four years, and the department is down 38 paramedics since 2011. (AP via WJLA)
Just-in-time memorial fix
NPS has announced that repairs to the MLK Jr. Memorial will be finished earlier than expected. The work should now be completed before the March on Washington 50th anniversary commemorations begin. (Post)
Bike lane paving scheduled
The 15th Street bike lane paving project will finally start in September and should take 4 to 6 weeks. But there won’t be a cycle track connection on the block west of 15th & M, which sets a bad precedent. (WAMU, City Paper)
Howard Co. goes electric
Three gas-free buses will be added to Howard County’s fleet next year. These will be the first electric buses in service in Maryland, funded by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration. (WTOP)
Think tank goes IMBY
The “In My Backyard DC” group, which has advocated against a 14th Street liquor moratorium and for looser regulation, has joined the libertarian R Street Institute. Founder Michael Hamilton will pursue his advocacy on R Street’s staff.
Eastern Shore bridge to be replaced
Gov. O’Malley will announce a plan to replace the Dover Bridge later today. The new bridge will be elevated sufficiently to accommodate river traffic without a drawbridge. (Post)
Bus driver stabbed
An “irate” passenger stabbed a Ride On bus driver yesterday afternoon in Takoma Park. The attacker has been arrested, and the driver’s injuries are not life-threatening. (Gazette)
And…
Phone thefts on Metro have spiked in recent weeks. (WAMU) … San Francisco is shaming bike thieves on Twitter. (Atlantic Cities) … The White House’s energy retrofit includes solar panels on the roof. (Post) … What’s killing fish on the Mall? (WAMU)